[mpipes]

Some of the discussions on the FL Beta has brought back to mind a thought regarding the actual first use of nukes in a NATO v. USSR contest.

NATO "knows" that if Russia popular get invaded, all bets are off, they will use nukes if they are losing territory. Russia, and the PACT, also knew that if they used nukes first, they were getting hit in return. So everyone's doctrine was aimed at a central "goal" as it were TO NOT LET IT GO NUCLEAR.

So Russia one morning has a collective hang over and decides why not, its a beautiful day, lets take a trip to the English Channel and those tanks roll. But lets not use nukes. We are just going to steam roll through. That idiot in the White House (name your flavor) will never have the stones to stop us with nukes.

So they steam roll over the NATO forces, start slowing down, but hey isn't that Eiffel thinging over there past the Rhine River that we should cross this evening? We have lost a lot of troops, NATO résistance is stiffening, but comrade, the French women are waiting for the glorious Russian army.

Now the US President, being the US President, decides he really does not want to barbeque several thousand Russians in nuclear fireballs, and he certainly does not want to have to deal with several thousand Americans getting the same. Elections are coming up and some of those folks might vote for me. So he says "NO nuclear release." And those glorious Russian lads keep on marching to France. But alas, those pesky French have a independent nuclear force, and they really don't think French women will welcome those hordes of Russian lads.

I have always suspected, that should such a situation develop, that not all French warheads are aimed eastward. Some are destined to head west. Not even sure that a UK warhead or two on their boomers, which if I recall correctly, fall outside the NATO command structure, might take a trip west as well. Obviously, all those barbequed Americans were from Russian fireballs, and alas, those made in America fireballs start blossoming all around those Russian lads, their dreams of French women dashed by a dastardly deed by those sneaky Frenchmen and cunning Anglos.

Good fodder for an alternate timeline? NOW THAT might make FL's timeline at least interesting.

Any thoughts?